Chat Group: Starting by Swapping Bodies with Elysia?

Unlike the reserved René, Jacob's pride was more overt and pronounced.

As a new life wielding the power of the Abyss, he had always been proud of himself.

And when this pride was belittled, even knowing that the being before him was Fontaine's Hydro Archon, Jacob felt a surge of anger.

Of course, the fact that the "holy sword" appeared in [Furina]'s hand also made him wary.

This once absurd Archon didn't seem so simple now.

But what was so strange about that? After all, even he, after observing her for so long, hadn't noticed this hidden side beneath her absurd exterior.

But…

So what if she had a holy sword?

The so-called holy sword was just a special weapon.

Even though Jacob and René had been searching for it, they had never overestimated it. It was merely a "tool" necessary for completing their plan.

"Hydro Archon, although I don't know why, I thank you for forging the holy sword we've been searching for."

"However, no matter how sharp a blade might be, if the wielder is incompetent, it's simply a waste."

"Only in Master René's hands can the holy sword display its true brilliance and purpose."

"Hand it over, Hydro Archon. You should know that this is a necessary choice for saving Fontaine. In your hands, it's just a sharp weapon." Jacob's deep, imposing voice echoed like thunder as he extended his claw-like hand.

"That's not necessarily true… The one who wields the holy sword isn't always a hero—and a hero doesn't need a holy sword to prove anything." The blue and white-haired girl casually raised the magnificent, scepter-like blade, gently caressing its glowing surface. This sword was essentially the holy sword Durandal. Although different from what René and Jacob had envisioned, undoubtedly, this "holy sword" was no less capable than the one a certain blonde idiot wielded. It was far stronger.

After all, this was a "device" developed by the Previous Era to cut through worlds.

"If you really want it, come and take it yourself."

"Although, as the God of Justice, I don't approve of duels, such an outdated method of judgment, sometimes, it seems only violence can make people face reality."

"Then, excuse me!"

Jacob, seeing that negotiations were futile, transformed into an Abyss Herald and charged towards [Furina] at an inhuman speed, enveloped in an ominous Abyssal power.

The Abyss was a power that transcended elemental energy, and this power, derived from Erinius' blood, had reached its peak after he absorbed a large amount of it.

The girl didn't move, as if she hadn't reacted in time.

This distance of a few meters, for him in this state, could be crossed in an instant. Jacob was confident, feeling a sense of pride and disdain.

Heh, she looked so impressive, but she was actually just a weakling.

So-called gods were just at this level.

But this wasn't surprising. He was a new human wielding the power of the Abyss. What could a mere god do?

Jacob slightly held back his power.

Although he was someone who would even deceive a Melusine, he wasn't exactly a member of Fontaine's humanoid ape organization.

And towards Furina, the Hydro Archon, although he didn't pay much attention to her, he still held a certain respect.

So, deicide was out of the question—moreover, according to René's research,

Even the weakest Archon was still an Archon. Their death would bring great consequences and disasters to the surrounding area.

Jacob didn't want to experience the so-called "Archon's resentment" recorded in history.

Therefore, he just needed to incapacitate this Hydro Archon and take the holy sword.

"..."

"..."

But why was this short distance so far?

Looking up, he couldn't even see the girl's face, only the blue sky.

Jacob looked forward, confused and bewildered, seeing a familiar yet strange half of a body.

A slight stinging sensation brought him back to reality. Everything seemed so surreal, yet so real.

He finally realized his current situation—he seemed to have been… bisected.

And the cause of all this seemed to be the blue and white-haired girl wielding a sword not far away.

"This…" Furina stared at the bisected Jacob, covering her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide.

What happened?

She hadn't seen anything at all!

Of course, what mattered more was Jacob's current state. This "bisected" image would normally be terrifying, especially for someone as timid as Furina.

Fortunately, Furina's tolerance was decent, and perhaps because he was an Abyss Herald, the bisected Jacob wasn't as horrifying as a normal human would be. There wasn't much blood, nor any… internal organs.

Therefore, Furina only asked with concern, "He… is he alright?"

"He doesn't look alright at all," Fairy Ely retorted, frowning and complaining to Jiang Qiao, "How can you be so cruel? That's too much, Reliable Me!"

"Sorry, sorry, I just suddenly felt like doing that."

"But don't worry too much about him. Abyssal creatures are always incredibly resilient. Even if they die, they can revive." [Furina] gestured with her index finger, glancing at the bisected Jacob on the ground.

"Although he's just a modified creature, this level of injury isn't a problem."

They could see a black mist covering the bisected surface of Jacob's body, trying to reassemble him.

Being cut in half wasn't a big deal for most elemental beings in Teyvat, let alone one infused with the incredibly resilient power of the Abyss.

As they spoke, the two halves of Jacob's body were pulled together by the black mist, the smooth surface sizzling as it gradually healed.

"See?"

"He does seem quite resilient, how magical… No, don't change the subject! Don't do that again next time!" Fairy Ely flew around Jacob, amazed, then puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction.

Even if he flirted with other girls behind Dummy's back, Fairy Ely could tolerate it, but bisecting someone… such a brutal method was too much for the kind fairy. She didn't want Bad Me to develop any strange, bad habits. If Mature Me found out, she would definitely be scolded.

"Alright, alright, I'll listen to you." The blue and white-haired girl shrugged. He didn't really care about this.

It was just a method.

And that sword strike was really just a whim, definitely not because he wanted to stand up for the Melusines.

Furina, watching the harmonious duo, couldn't help but frown slightly.

This guy was really obedient to Fairy Ely…

For some reason, Furina felt a twinge of jealousy.

And Jiang Qiao—[Furina] shifted his gaze to Jacob, who had recovered from his injuries, and asked with a smile, "Are you still planning to continue?"

"..." Jacob was slightly dejected.

Honestly, he was unwilling to give up.

After all, he had lost inexplicably, without any real sense of defeat. If it weren't for the Abyssal power he had consumed, he would have thought he had been affected by some kind of illusion.

However, being bisected so easily was indeed quite shocking.

Although he wasn't afraid of death, he didn't want to die meaninglessly.

Especially with the plan about to commence, he absolutely couldn't die. Otherwise, René, who had merged with the Primordial Sea, wouldn't be able to complete the plan.

"Lady Furina, you…"

Jacob, unwilling to give up, still wanted to know how he had been defeated.

The girl simply smiled.

With a slight flick of her wrist, a nearby tree was silently bisected, the two halves falling to the ground with a loud crash.

"Pfft… this sword is that powerful?"

"Is this the power of a holy sword?"

Both Furina and Jacob were shocked, but the latter's emotions were more complex.

The legendary holy sword, it possessed such power?

"What, not convinced?"

Sensing Jacob's emotions, the blue and white-haired girl smiled.

"It's alright, if you think it's unfair for me to use a holy sword against you,"

"You can fight them."

"If you can defeat them, I'll not only support your plan, but I'll also give you the holy sword." With a snap of her fingers, three small figures appeared, along with a wager that made Jacob's heart race.

"Hey, are you serious?!" Furina asked anxiously. Although she had seen the Seafood Trio in action, who had they fought?

Virgil and Marcel! Although both were humanoids, their combat abilities weren't exactly high. (维吉尔 (Virgil), 瓦谢 (Vacher), i know there something wrong but whatever if the Original like that)

And this Jacob, he wielded the power of the Abyss!

Even though Jiang Qiao had easily bisected him, Furina didn't think Jacob was weak.

If it were Jiang Qiao fighting, it would be one thing, but these three… were they reliable?!

What if this Jacob guy actually succeeded in his plan to destroy Fontaine?!

"Who are you, pretty boy, to interject when I'm talking to the Hydro Archon?"

"…P-pretty boy?!" Furina was stunned by Jacob's rude remark.

She pointed at herself in disbelief:

"…You're talking about me?"

"Is there something wrong? Hiding behind Lady Furina when faced with danger… Lady Furina, I don't intend to interfere with a god's personal life, but you should also be mindful of your status." Jacob sneered, glancing at Furina, then looked at [Furina] and said seriously,

Fontaine was once a nation ruled by old nobles, and there was always some… chaos among the nobles, both men and women.

Having witnessed Fontaine's development for five hundred years, he was naturally aware of this.

He had initially been wary of Furina—thinking he might be the Hydro Archon's guard or something.

But this behavior… wasn't this the typical behavior of a kept man?

He hadn't expected the Hydro Archon to have such… hobbies and needs… well, he didn't care, but this pretty boy constantly interjecting wasn't appropriate, was it?

Undoubtedly, Jacob wasn't exactly good-tempered or polite. René and the others might be more reserved, but Jacob, whose father was from the lower levels, wouldn't hold back his words against those he disliked.

"Pfft…" Fairy Ely covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.

And [Furina], surprised, also covered her mouth, suppressing her laughter.

"What are you laughing at?!" Furina, snapping out of her daze, glared at her laughing "self," feeling a surge of anger. Her frustration was evident in her puffed-out cheeks—Who do you think is responsible for me being called a pretty boy?!

A pretty boy kept by the Hydro Archon, if this got out, her reputation would be ruined!

Jiang Qiao, amused by her furious glare, waved his hand. "Alright, alright, you're not a pretty boy, I'm your pretty boy, okay?"

"That's more like it…" Furina nodded in satisfaction, but then she realized something was wrong.

What did he mean—he was her pretty boy?

Although that wasn't entirely unacceptable… wasn't that her body?

Wasn't he still taking advantage of her?!

So no matter what, she was the one at a disadvantage?!

Of course—what Furina found most unacceptable was,

"Pretty boy."

She, the Hydro Archon, righteous and honorable, when did she need a pretty boy… no, when did she become someone else's pretty boy?!

This was truly unbearable!

So angry, glare!

The timid Furina could only express her anger and dissatisfaction in this way.

However, she quickly noticed the culprit behind this "pretty boy ownership" dispute—Jacob.

Undoubtedly, Jacob was also dumbfounded. After all, the two hadn't bothered to hide anything from him.

And the information revealed… Did he just hear some incredible secret?

A strong sense of danger washed over Jacob.

Looking closely—Furina was now approaching him with the Seafood Trio, a benevolent smile on her face.